Multi Parts has announced the SPARK2016 Luminaries. In the SPARK Initiative’s third year, seven of the automotive aftermarket’s biggest names will share their expertise and insights with 14 SPARK student participants from across the U.S. SPARK2016 again takes place at AAPEX, being held Nov. 1-3, in Las Vegas.
On Tuesday, Nov. 1, Mort Schwartz, founding partner of Schwartz Advisors and former chairman and CEO of Strauss Discount Auto, Import Parts of America and Chanslor & Lyon, and Bret Jordan, managing director, Jefferies, will kick off SPARK at a breakfast meet and greet designed to formally introduce student-participants to the aftermarket and all its opportunity.
“The investment these aftermarket icons make in our SPARK participants is very special,” said Multi Parts President Brian Cohn. “These are busy people at arguably the busiest time of their year. That they make time for these student-participants says far more than we ever could about how much our industry recognizes the importance of this next generation.”
On Wednesday afternoon, SPARK participants will hear from four panelists about aftermarket career opportunities. The four will provide perspective from their decades of experience in the industry, having played numerous roles – both domestically and internationally – in sales and marketing, supply chain management, and manufacturing.
LUMINARY PANELISTS
- Jason Best – senior vice president, Aftermarket at Spectra Premium Industries
- Brian Cohn – president, Multi Parts
- Kathy Jorge – vice president North America, Delphi Product & Service Solutions
- Jens Schueler – president, Automotive Aftermarket – Americas at Schaeffler Group USA
Following the Luminary panel discussion, Howard Kesten from APA Search will draw on nearly three decades as a highly regarded global recruiter to numerous aftermarket companies in their search for great talent with his topic, “How to Differentiate Yourself from Your Peers.”
Wednesday ends with a special session hosted by Brent Windom, president and CEO of Auto Plus and Pep Boys, with the topic, “The Changing Landscape of the Aftermarket – What the Industry Needs from You.”
